Think of a saree and you would think of yards and yards of fabric, the draping of which is nothing short of an art. But little would people think that there is a history so ancient behind this single piece of fabric, that it pre-dates a time that most people would not even be aware of.

The first references of the saree can be found in texts that document the life in the Indus Valley civilisation and from there on, in texts written all over the Indian subcontinent, you will be able to see references to a single long piece of fabric, that would be draped by the women. From India to Bangladesh, Sri Lanka to Nepal, you will find several versions of a saree and what is even more interesting is that you will find just as many methods of draping the saree too. If there is a particular style in Gujarat, there is another in Assam, the method of draping a saree for the Coorg women, is completely different from that of the Maharashtrian ladies.

Today, the humble saree has emerged into the fashion fore-light and has once again taken centre stage. Where the weavers are using new and interesting materials to create the saree, the designers are using the fabric as a canvas for their bold and unique designs. Gone are the days, when only silk and cotton were the materials of choice for sarees – today, every fabric imaginable is being used to weave sarees, from chiffon to velvet and net to even lycra!

What is truly interesting about the saree is the fact that it can be used for any occasion – a small family gathering means that you could drape a simple cotton saree, while you could be the cynosure of all eyes, in the stunning georgette saree with stone work, at your sister’s wedding! Come festival time, the saree becomes the favourite for almost every Indian woman – whether its Durga Puja or Diwali, Onam or Bihu, there is a saree that is just right for the occasion.

The modern Indian woman is rediscovering the wonder that is a saree – from reinventing the traditional festival wear saree that has been around for a long time, to using interesting new fabrics, new age designers are doing so much with the saree. While golden and silver threads have long been used to embellish the saree, these days, everything from beads to pearls to semi-precious stones are being used to create stunning and heavy embroidered sarees.

Whether it is the lehenga style saree or the readymade saree, there are so many new avatars of the saree and with online shopping, getting your hands on any exclusive sarees has become so much easier!

Customer Testimonials

"I ordered 5 sarees for my bridesmaid.They were exactly like the picture showed online! I was so happy! They were beautif"...

India Emporium has won my heart as the one website that I was always looking for but could never find. I got a stylish handbag from here, which everyone's been asking me where I got from. With my wedding on the cards, I am considering buying some of the fabulous suits and sarees for my trousseau from here.

I ordered a made to order lehenga choli set. My lehenga looked exactly like the picture. The quality of silk feels great. It’s exactly as per my preferences – low-cut choli with short sleeves, lehenga with a lot of flare. I am glad I received it in the said time frame as I needed some time to wear it, get all the accessories and make up my mind that I wanted to get married in this lehenga.